Review by Scotty

TITLE:  Tooth and Nail

SERIES:  U.S. Marshals I.S.R. (Interspecies Response)

AUTHOR:  Patricia Logan

NARRATOR: Kevin Earlywine, Declan Winters

PUBLISHER:  Patricia Logan

LENGTH:  10hrs and 8mins

RELEASE DATE:  March 20, 2024

BLURB:

The very last thing U.S. Marshal Eoghan Sapphire wants is a new partnership. Worse yet, the transfer from Lexington, Kentucky is a civilian. That means it’ll be Eoghan’s responsibility to break him into the I.S.R. and the unique way their particular U.S. Marshals Service unit operates. He decides being a jerk to him and keeping him at arm’s length just might be the way to handle things…until he meets him.

Aristotle Brown isn’t like anyone Eoghan’s ever known before. He’s polite, willing to learn, and most of all, devastatingly handsome. Eoghan’s actually happy they’re thrown into a dangerous situation with a WITSEC protectee the first day his brand-new partner is on the job. Dealing with this particular man will let Eoghan know what Ari Brown’s made of. Will he break under pressure?

Dealing with humans is standard everyday stuff in the U.S. Marshals Service but other non-human species like shifters, other paranormals, and aliens from distant star systems…well, that’s where things promise to get downright interesting. Their second day on the job is no different. And he’s not prepared for Ari’s cool-headed composure when he comes face to face with an example of everything the I.S.R. deals with every day.

To top it all off, the marshal sent to back the two men up when things get dicey in Griffith Park isn’t as reliable as Eoghan had hoped. The impulses of the guy nearly get them all killed but fortunately, Ari performs like a dream, helping extract everyone when things go from bad to worse. Eoghan is sure of a couple of things…acting as this man’s training officer isn’t going to be such a struggle after all, and keeping his hands off him is going to be the hardest part about this assignment.

REVIEW:

Shifters, and Vampires, and Space Faries? Oh My…

This is definitely the most paranormal book I’ve read (so far), and I wasn’t sure I’d like it. The idea of humans, vampires, werewolves, fairies, shifters, aliens (including alien bats and alien fairies), seemed like it would be too confusing, and too unbelievable.

I am glad, however, to say that I was wrong.

While the premise of combining humans, vampires, werewolves, fairies, shapeshifters, and aliens (including alien bats and fairies) seemed daunting at first, the author balances these elements well, creating a cohesive and immersive, if strange, universe. The inclusion of the ISR (Inter-Species Response), a covert government agency akin to a queer “Men In Black,” is a clever and plausible hook that grounds the narrative in a semblance of reality.

However, the novel does strain credulity at times, particularly in its portrayal of a U.S. government as capable of maintaining such an elaborate cover-up.

Also, too much of the background explanation was in expository dialogue that felt contrived. For Example, Chief Arizona Priest shouldn’t need as much explaining since she’s an expert and in charge.

Also, both Eoghan and Ari are likable but somewhat one-note in their reactionary tendencies and propensity for taking offense. Ari’s hypersensitivity to Eoghan’s doubts about their potential relationship seems at odds with his training as a U.S. Marshal, where policies against fraternization would be well-understood.

Fortunately, these minor quibbles are overshadowed by the novel’s high-octane plot and engaging, almost comical tone. The story’s relentless pace and entertainment value are so compelling that reaching the epilogue elicits a pang of disappointment, a sure sign of an enjoyable read.

For the narration, although this is a duet, Declan Winters, who voices Ari, doesn’t come in until the final chapter, as most of the book is from Eoghan’s perspective. Both narrators do a great job, and were very easy to listen to. The recording quality is excellent, with no distracting background noise. It was a bit strange at first to hear Declan after 20 chapters of Kevin. I would have preferred if each narrator had handled all of their own character’s dialogue, however interleaving alternating recordings is very complex to organise.

I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series, and also listening to more books by both of these narrators.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Audible

Amazon